Bikes, kayaks, ducklings, litterbugs and tambourines

RAVE To Kurt, an out-of-town visitor who found my wallet in a muddy gutter, and spent the better part of a day tracking me down to return it in time to save me hours of trying to re-create my identity and life. His parents should be very proud!

RANT To me for being an impatient, belligerent jerk toward a young couple, neophytes to kayaking, who got hung up at the landing dock. I intended to help by showing them where to go, but they panicked, so I yelled and they panicked more. I yelled louder and louder. That never helps. My sincerest apologies to them and to all who had to witness it.

RAVE To Will, who was riding his bike on Sammamish River Trail and stopped when he saw people on the bridge looking down where a small duckling had become stuck on a branch below. Will borrowed a walking stick, laid on the bridge and reached down to shake the branch enough to release the little duck, much to the relief of Mother Duck and everyone watching.

RANT To people who litter parks and public parking lots on Lake Washington Boulevard. There are garbage cans, but some people eat their fast food and throw the paper, cups, bottles, napkins, etc. on the ground. Let’s free our Parks Department workers from having to clean up people’s messes so they can do work that’s more productive for our beautiful parks!

RAVE For the catering van driver happily rocking out with his tambourine at a stop light. How refreshing to see a driver having a grand time, not on his or her cellphone!

RANT My 18-year-old old daughter found out the hard way that not everyone who posts on Craigslist is honest. The cellphone she bought turned out to be stolen, she turned it in to the police and is out $300. Hopefully the police will track down this person before others are victimized.

RAVE For all the polite drivers in Bellevue when my wife and I did our Bike to Work month commute, who didn’t pull out and block the bike lanes when exiting their driveways, gave us space when we had to turn left at an intersection, and waved back when we waved “thank you.”

RANT To the group positioned along the street outside the stadium on Seattle Sounders soccer games telling us to “repent.” The decibel level of your sound system is so loud it brings young children to tears. Turn down the volume and you might get folks to stop and listen.

The Seattle Times publishes reader rants and raves on a space-available basis. We reserve the right to edit for length or content. Send yours to rantandrave@seattletimes.com.